Don't Let Your Resume Hold You Back! [INFOGRAPHIC]

Your medical resume is your first chance to make a great impression on a potential employer. This piece of paper can get you in the door for an interview or tossed out with the day's recycling. Think of your medical resume as a 30-second advertisement, letting a prospective employer know what qualifications you have, what is unique about you and what you can contribute. For those who have graduated from vocational or medical training and are looking for a job in the medical field, your medical resume should be clean, thoughtful and polished.

The below infographic from Carrington College relays some of the most important tips to making your medical resume outstanding: 

  1. Don't downplay your accomplishments
    Don't include ten pages of text about everything you have done since kindergarten, either. In other words, be smart and selective about what you portray. Tailor the resume to the job. 
     
  2. The majority of hiring managers can quickly spot errors and inaccuracies in resumes.
     These hiring managers admit that an incorrect or inaccurate fact or figure may get your resume tossed out. You will never even get a chance at an interview to correct the misinformation. So proofread carefully before sending it out! 
     
  3. Don't have time to include a cover letter, or don't want to make the effort?
    Maybe you are intimidated by the thought of composing a cover letter? This is likely costing you opportunities—hiring managers see a lack of a cover letter as laziness or lack of attention to detail, and will toss your resume in the shred pile. A cover letter is usually required to help you stand out. 
     
  4. Most hiring managers look for resumes that are written in chronological order.
    Resumes that are also organized by industry are appreciated. Bulleted lists are always a bonus, especially when dealing with dates, names of courses, specific tasks you can handle or software programs you are familiar with.  
     
  5. Tailor your resume for each industry in which you are looking for work.
    Don't use the same resume for each position; this may be easier for you and take less time, but a generic, all-encompassing resume does not allow your best attributes to shine through. Have several resumes ready and tweak them for each and every position you apply for. 
     
  6. Pay attention to detail!
    Read the job posting very carefully. Ensure that you submit the exact documents that the hiring manager is looking for. You should also ensure that you meet any deadlines for resume submission, and send your resume via the correct method, whether online, or via email or regular mail.  
     
  7. Aim high! 
    You may wonder if you are the right candidate for a job, or you may feel that you should not even bother with an application because someone might apply who is more qualified than you are. You never know until you ask, and all the employer can do is say no. You will be no worse off than you were before you sent in your application. Apply, apply, apply and let the hiring manager make the determination. Now, this doesn't mean that you should apply for jobs that you are wildly unqualified for, but if you are a few months shy of the amount of experience they are looking for, or you are a little rusty on a software program the company uses, send in your application anyway, making sure to highlight your specific attributes, and see what happens. With a carefully crafted medical resume, you may just land the job. 


     

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